U of Illinois names first dean of new medical school

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - The University of Illinois say it has hired a doctor who holds 16 patents and whose background includes research and clinical roles to leads its new engineering-based medical school.

The university said Tuesday that King Li is expected to be appointed as dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine by trustees Sept. 8. He would begin work Oct. 1 and will be paid $650,000 a year.

Li is the senior associate dean for clinical and translational research at Wake Forest University.

Li has held positions with the National Institutes of Health and Stanford University. He earned a medical degree from the University of Toronto.

The new medical school in Urbana will enroll its first students in 2018 and train them to apply engineering and technology to medicine.